Writing platen for ledger books



Dec. 19, 1967 H. BRECHNER WRITING PLATEN FOR LEDGER BOOKS Filed May 26,1965 v 78 INVENTOR f7 5 #mm/v 5kECl/MEP o o o O o o o o 0 ID O, 0 W a Fa-v o o o o o 0 o o o o 0 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,358,693 WRITINGPLATEN FGR LEDGER BOGKS Hyman Brechner, 65 Bella Vista Road, Tuckahoe,N.Y. 10707 Filed May 26, 1965, Ser. No. 458,877 3 Claims. (Cl. 129-21)This invention relates to payroll systems and more particularly topayroll systems which use loose-leaf ledger books having journal sheetsand wherein a removable writing platen may be placed below any journalsheet for securing a plurality of payroll checks with respect theretofor making entries which register line for line between shingled checksand the ruled lines on the journal sheets.

Payroll systems as generally described above are well known, as arewriting platens having peg strips for holding checks or other paperswhich are to be shifted in line register with relatively stationarysheets.

Various prior art patents show arrangements for achieving slidablesecurement of peg strips on Writing platens, but such knownconstructions are of a relatively complex nature, and are expensive tomanufacture as well as having separate moving parts such as springs,clips, etc., which may become defective.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a writing platen forthe purpose intended which is of exceedingly simple and ruggedconstruction having no springs, clips or other adjustable or movablecomponents and which can perform its function conveniently and with aminimum of manipulation.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from thedescription which follows.

Briefly, the invention comprises the provision of a groove in a writingplaten and in which groove a slidably guided peg strip is carriedmovable therein guided by the sides of the groove. The peg strip hasconventional impaling means extending upwardly therefrom and is shapedas an inverted channel having flanges extending into the groove withedges slidable on the bottom wall of the groove. Within the channel flatmagnetic chambers are carried which serve to magnetize the flanges ofthe channel, in effect forming a flat horeshoe magnet, the edges ofwhich are opposite magnetic poles which magnetically grip the bottomwall of the groove. Thus, the peg strip is slidably movable in thegroove but magnetically secured therein and carries one or more indexingpins coacting with indexing holes in the bottom wall of the groove foreffecting line for line registration of papers impaled on the peg stripwith papers resting on the platen.

A detailed description of the invention now follows in conjunction withthe appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective showing a platen panel and peg striptherefor;

FIG. 2 is a section through 22 of FIG. 1 showing the parts assembled;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the peg strip;

FIG. 4 is anexploded plan View of one form of arrangement of indexingpins and holes;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another arrangement of coactingindexing pins and holes; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross section of a modified form of theinvention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the invention comprises a writingplaten in the form of a flat panel In having bayonet slotted cars 12 forattaching the platen in a well-known manner to the rings of a loose-leafledger binder. In this form of the invention, it is contemplated thatthe platen is made of a single piece of magnetic material such as sheetsteel and is formed with a groove 15 having side walls 18 and a bottomwall 22. The bottom wall 22 is formed with a series of indexing holes 25which may be punched therethrough. A steel peg strip 30 is of channelshape, having side flanges 33 disposed invertedly so that the edges 36of the side walls are slidably engagea'ble with the bottom walls 22. Theupper wall 40 of the peg strip is of suitable transverse width so thatthe flanges 33 are guided by the groove walls 18, with a smooth slidingengagement. Wall 40 carries any arrangement of conventional pins or pegs43 on which may be impaled apertured checks, sheets, or the like, in theusual manner, which are to be shifted in line-for-line register'asindicated by the phantom line spacing of FIG. 1. An indexing pin 46carried by wall 49 coacts with index holes 25 as the peg strip 30 isshifted in the groove to hold the peg strip in any position determinedby the holes 25.

The rounded end of the indexing pin is suflicient t-o effect a cammingaction when the peg strip is slid. Thus, the pin will skip from hole tohole protruding sufliciently into each hole at any desired point withthe peg strip remaining in place in the groove. The slight rise of thepeg strip when the pin moves between holes does not in any way effectdislodgment, and there is, of course, no need to lift the peg strip foreffecting sliding.

Magnetic members in the form of flat magnetized elements 50 are carriedwithin the peg strip channel. Such magnetic elements may be of anysuitable magnetized material, and in a commercial form of the inventiona flexible magnetic strip material is usable. Such material is readilyavailable on the open market and can be cut with no difliculty to anyconvenient size for setting into the channel. The edges of elements 50preferably engage the side walls 33 of the channel which form the legsof a horseshoe magnet with the edges 36 then effecting pole pieces. Suchmagnets 50 may be cemented in place or otherwise fastened, and it willbe understood that they are magnetized transversely so that all northedges are at one side and all south edges at the other. As a practicalmatter,

tight engagement between the edges of the magnetic members with thechannel walls is not essential for effecting a strong magneticattraction between the peg strip and the bottom wall 22 when the pegstrip is placed in the groove.

It will be appreciated that the entire length of the peg strip channelmay have a continuous piece of magnetic material therein but it has beenfound in a practical construction that only three or four of suchpieces, spaced from each other, need be used.

It will also be appreciated that the peg strip could be of moldedplastic with integrally molded pegs and that the magnetic memberscemented therein could still serve to effect slidable securement betweenthe peg strip and the platen, although it would then be disposed,preferably, to have its face engage the bottom wall of the groove.However, for maximum attracting strength, a peg strip of ferrousmaterial forming a horseshoe magnet effects a very strong magnetic forceand it will be noted that, as seen in FIG. 2, the bottom surface of themagnetic material is spaced from the upper surface of the bottom wall 22so that a complete magnetic flux will have a path through the top andside walls of the channel and the bottom wall of the groovesubstantially as occurs when a horseshoe magnet is placed with its poleson a ferrous surface.

While the form of the invention described above contemplates the use ofa steel platen panel, such construction is not essential inasmuch as theplaten may be of aluminum, as shown in FIG. 6, having a main portion 60and an end portion 63, spaced apart and secured together by means of asteel strip 66 flush riveted thereto to effect a groove 67.

The indexing arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is simply a single pin coactingwith a series of aligned holes, as hereinabove described. However,greater versatility and economy can be effected by other arrangements.For example, FIG. 4 illustrates a pair of spaced pins 70 on the pegstrip coacting with holes 73 which will be understood to be in thebottom wall of the platen groove. The spacing be.- tween pins 70 is amultiple of spacing between the holes plus one half such spacing.Accordingly, only one pin at a time protrudes into a hole. The staggeredspacing of the pins, however, permits manufacture of the platen withonly half the number of holes which would otherwise be required toeffect registration with lines which are double the number of holes.Obviously, when either pin is in a hole, the other pin is midway betweena pair of other holes and can be shifted left or right to engage ineither hole thereby giving half spacing between holes for movement ofpapers carried by the peg strip.

FIG. shows another arrangement wherein the bottom wall of the groove isprovided with two groups of holes, the innermost holes 75a and 75b beingspaced from each other by a predetermined amount. The pins 78a and 78bare spaced from each other the predetermined amount less the spacingbetween any two holes in either group. Accordingly, only one pin at atime is engaged in a hole. Such an arrangement can provide very closeindexing, dependent upon the spacing between holes. Thus, the pins 78acan coact with any oi the holes to the left of hole 75a and to the rightof hole 75b. Similarly, the pins 78b can coact with any of the holes t9the right of hole 751; and to the left of hole 75a. The net effect isthat the indexing positions are four times the number of holes in eachgroup, It will of course be understood that the grooves are open endedwhereby the peg strip in all modifications can move out beyond the edgeof the platen regardless of the indexing arrangement used. The ends ofthe groove bottom walls may be slightly depressed as at 80 to permitease of movement of pins in returning to the groove after o ng beyond te bo t m Wall dg Although the invention contemplates the use of indexingpins and holes generally as described herein, it will be understood thatthis is not absolutely essential. In fact, it has been found entirelypractical in many instances to rely on the magnetic attraction of thepeg strip with the platen for holding the peg strip in any desiredposition. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to requirement ofadditional indexing means nor, for that matter, to the se f sin e P g tip on t p e TW Or more pe strips could be applied in accordance with theteaching.

Having thus described the invention, it is realized that changes may bemade without departing from the spirit thereot and, therefore, it notdesired that the invention be limited to the precise illustration hereingiven except as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1 A writing platen having a groove with a bottom wall of magneticmaterial and said groove having sides connecting said bottom wall withsaid platen, a peg strip slidable in said groove, said peg strip being aU shaped channel having side flanges with edges slidable on said bottomwall, a magnetic member in said channel and slidable therewith havingoppositely polarized edges adjacent respective flanges, said channelbeing of magnetic material whereby the edges thereof are magnetic polesto effect an attractive force holding said peg strip in said groove anindexing pin carried by said peg strip and indexing holes in said platenat the bottom of said groove for effecting predetermined positions ofsaid peg strip therein, said pin being engageable in a selected indexinghole as said channel is slidably positioned in said groove.

2. A writing platen and a peg strip slidable thereon, means for slidablyguiding said peg strip, two groups of indexing holes in said peg stripand a pair of indexing pins carried by said peg strip, the holes of eachgroup being evenly spaced and the spacing between holes being the samefor each group, said indexing pins being spaced apart the distancebetween the innermost holes of the two groups less the spacing betweenholes, and means for slidably and magnetically securing said peg stripto said platen, wherein either pin is insertable in a hole in eithergroup, said latter means comprising magnet means and further comprisinga 'U-shaped channel having side flanges polarized by said magnet means,said writing platen having a portion to which said peg strip adheres bymagnetic attraction through said flanges and said platen having adeformation elfecting guiding motion for said peg strip, said pins beingof a length to protrude into said holes without protruding beyond thedepth thereof and having rounded ends so as to cam out of said holeswhen said peg strip is motivated whereby the magnetic attraction betweensaid peg strip and said platen has a resilient effect permitting saidpins to yieldably move in and out of said holes.

3. A writing platen comprising a panel, a peg strip, means for slidablyguiding said peg strip on said panel, magnetic means carried by said pegstrip for holding said peg strip thereon, said peg strip being a Ushaped channel having side fianges and said magnetic means being withinsaid channel and having respective edges magnetically polarizing theflanges of said channel, the edges of said channel being slidablyengageable with said panel and thereby effecting a magnetic attractiontherewith, said platen having a magnetic portion shaped to form a guidefor said peg strip and said portion having a plurality of spaced holes,said peg strip having at least one pin extending toward said platen andof a length to protrude into a selected hole without extendingtherebeyond and being shaped to effect a camming action out of said holewhen said peg strip is moved on said platen whereby the attractionbetween said peg strip and said platen effects a resilient tensioningforce therebetween permitting yieldable camming action of said pin inthe course of sliding of said peg strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,524,128 10/1950 Jones 282-2922,597,579 5/ 1952 Gleaves 282-292 2,638,015 5/1953 Schoelles 74-527 2,763,241 9/ 1956 Waggoner 317-159 ,884,723 5/1959 Horton 4-142 2,943,2466/ 1960 Riordan. 2,944,838 7/1960 Nardon 282-292 FOREIGN PATENTS 655,5931/1963 Canada.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

1. A WRITING PLATEN HAVING A GROOVE WITH A BOTTOM WALL OF MAGNETICMATERIAL AND SAID GROOVE HAVING SIDES CONNECTING SAID BOTTOM WALL WITHSAID PLATEN, A PEG STRIP SLIDABLE IN SAID GROOVE, SAID PEG STRIP BEING AU SHAPED CHANNEL HAVING SIDE FLANGES WITH EDGES SLIDABLE ON SAID BOTTOMWALL, A MAGNETIC MEMBER IN SAID CHANNEL AND SLIDABLE THEREWITH HAVINGOPPOSITELY POLARIZED EDGES ADJACENT RESPECTIVE FLANGES, SAID CHANNELBEING OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL WHEREBY THE EDGES THEREOF ARE MAGNETIC POLESTO EFFECT AN ATTRACTIVE FORCE HOLDING SAID PEG STRIP IN SAID GROOVE ANINDEXING PIN CARRIED BY SAID PEG STRIP AND INDEXING HOLES IN SAID PLATENAT THE BOTTOM OF SAID GROOVE FOR EFFECTING PREDETERMINED POSITIONS OFSAID PEG STRIP THEREIN, SAID PIN BEING ENGAGEABLE IN A SELECTED INDEXINGHOLE AS SAID CHANNEL IS SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN SAID GROOVE.